desultory and unimportant actions or conversation

The Apostle, writing to his favourite disciple, Timothy, instructs him that " piety with sufficiency is great gain. Because they who would become rich fall into temptation and into the snare of the devil ;" (1 Tim. vi. 9) whereby we see what a grievous obstacle the rich have in being open to dangers and temptations more numerous and various, and at the same time more powerful, than those whom Providence has placed in an inferior rank. Their temptations are more varied and more numerous, because they may be said to live in a state of habitual exposure to their attacks. First, their occupations are few, and their leisure long, and it is a leisure procured by the interruption of amusements and pastimes, which leave the mind relaxed, unarmed, unnerved. Languor, listlessness, and empty-mindedness, are the privileged habits of the rich alone. Hours and hours of their time are to be spent while recovering from the fatigue of past pleasures, or anxiously awaiting the hour of fresh dissipation; employment, occupation is to be sought, only in desultory and unimportant actions or conversation, and in throwing the mind open to every trifle that chooses to claim its attention ; or, what is worse still, in indulging the vain, unprofitable current of thought which flows spontaneously through it, in pursuing the wandering and bewildered mazes through which their wayward fancy leads them, or in colouring up to a false and bewitching glare the picture which their hopes paint in the air before them. In this manner, for want of sufficient food, the mind's energies are forced to act, and feed, upon its very stuff and substance. Instead of being like" the strong man armed, who keepeth his court, so that those things which he possesseth are in peace," (Luke, xi. 21) all is disorderly, unguarded, unsuspicious. Every thought that passes is gladly harboured, every vain desire that enters is indiscriminately received ; for " as a city," says Solomon, " that lieth open, and is not compassed with walls, so is a man who ruleth not over his own spirit." (Prov. xxv. 28.)

Sermon of Cd. Wiseman